A Naarm band who label themselves as a 'soul-ship', Belly Savalas – who deal in 'rhythmic percussive grooves, bluesy keys and soul-serenading horns' – have spent the past few years writing, jamming and recording material for their debut album.
Titled 'We Are The Belly Savalas', the 11-song record will be released tomorrow (8 December) and launched with a home-town show at The John Curtin Hotel in a flurry of soul, jazz, blues and funk tones.Lively, vibrant, sprightly funk mixed with salsa- and brassy-flavoured soul, one of the album's highlight tracks is 'Soccer Shorts', a song celebrating the power of inclusivity.
A track sonically geared towards getting hips swaying, shoulders shimmering and arms clapping, 'Soccer Shorts' is an irresistible mix of danceable beats, inspiring lyrics and a rhythm that'll induce beautiful smiles and unbridled joy.
"The story came to mind years ago even before the women's World Cup in Australia," lyricist and trumpeter Basil Byrne says. "The song is about young girls, trans girls and non-binary people who are taking their futures and opportunities into their own hands and affirming themselves."
'Soccer Shorts' is a celebration of moving towards gender euphoria through small acts of resistance.
"Not being given the same opportunities as young boys or being pigeon-holed into gender roles was an early memory and a regular experience for all of the female members of the band," Belly Savalas says.
"Creating 'Soccer Shorts' as joyful and uplifting song, has been a way to help move beyond the trauma and sadness, to celebrate the experience as something that ends up freeing us all. Wearing soccer shorts under the school skirt when the school wouldn't allow it, was an act of defiance and a way that Basil affirmed their gender."
scenestr is stoked to premiere 'Soccer Shorts' today ahead of the release of 'We Are The Belly Savalas' tomorrow (8 December). Enjoy.
A band who have played everywhere – from house parties and market gardens to a stack of festivals like Folk Rhythm & Life, Bridges To Harmony and PBS Rock A Bye Baby – the seed to create 'We Are The Belly Savalas' was sowed by their dedicated following who demanding recorded versions of their passionate sing-alongs.
"The album was recorded over a period of almost four years in three different locations, with different band line-ups and many cases of trial and error," the group's keys, sax, and flute player Reuben Legge says.
"One song, 'Feels Good', went through about ten different demos before landing on the version that made it to the album.
"It was a project that helped the band define its sound, helped us grow as musicians and creatives, and ended up with some pretty hilarious recording moments, from creating a makeshift vocal booth from two couches stacked vertically together, to recording a percussion track on a boot, to singing into a shell to capture the 'essence of the sea'.
"The album incorporates many iconic recordings from our history as a band, such as a live snippet of our song 'Octopus', an excerpt from a separate acoustic recording of 'Feels Good', and an inclusion of the first ever demo Anna and I made together: 'Rain Song', which prompted us to put a band together."
Adds lead vocalist Anna Du Vé: "We've spent unforgettable days down at Reuben's family farm in the Cathedral Ranges, swimming in the river after long sessions.
"Once after recording 'I Do Believe' – a song which uses metaphor about the seasons to illustrate emotional cycles – a huge storm broke over the studio, and we all stripped off to run naked through the rain in the farm paddock after a huge day of recording, climbing on to the roof and drinking beers as we watched the sun set over the mountains."
Belly Savalas launch 'We Are The Belly Savalas' at The John Curtin Hotel (Melbourne) on 8 December. They'll be joined by Mojo Bag, Tiaryn and Glissen.
